Herbal Magic
by elusivemuse
Summary: Moving back to Mystic Falls from New York City was the best thing Olivia Gilbert has ever done. However, now, she must mend relationships and explore where new ones can lead her to...Elijah/OC
1. Love You for a Thousand More

_**Hello, and welcome to my newest story. Standard disclaimer applies, I do not own Vampire Diaries, I am not making any money with this fiction and it is solely for the enjoyment of my readers.**_

_**Second chapter is already half way written, there will be time where my beta-reader will be helping me improve it, so that it is ready for you all to read.**_

_**Thank you to angel85qcca for Beta-reading. I appreciate all the time you have spent helping me with this.**_

_**So, my dearest readers, read, review, and most of all, enjoy.**_

* * *

It was a lovely home- hidden and peaceful- secluded from the road by a corpse of trees. Similar to the Gilbert house, it had a wraparound porch, with white trimmings, complimenting the soft dove-grey paintwork. Although there were signs of age in the paint and wood, it had been well kept by the previous owners.

It was smaller than her family home- on the inside there wasn't much of a foyer, just a long corridor with open arches leading towards the living areas. The stairs were strong and sturdy, with a soft blue rug complimenting the slightly dark wood. And just like the outside, everything had a gentle white trimming around it.

For Olivia, it was the perfect dream house, small, and only three bedrooms, secluded but close enough to town to be there in less than fifteen minutes. She loved the open air and the forest surrounding the beautiful town of Mystic Falls, but still liked the convenience of being able to just drive and pick up a tub of ice cream without feeling guilty about the fuel.

After three years of traveling around the world, she was ready to just settle down and relax. There was no need to rush about, no need to work any time soon and no need to follow everyone's time table or expectations. All she wanted was to create a home she could spend forever in and a place where her siblings could run away to whenever they needed a break. It was probably a cliché ideal, but who didn't want to find their perfect home? It may have not been perfect for forever, but it was perfect for right then. It was just a shame that her mother couldn't be there to help her settle in, like they planned to when she was in high school.

She was sad that she wasn't there for their parent's funeral. Being out of the country, she didn't even realise that they had passed until she came back to America. By that stage, their Aunt Jenna had taken over legal guardianship and everything had been settled. It was another reason why she bought the house. Olivia didn't want to live in a house that was a museum to everything she had lost. However, she tried to keep in mind that she wasn't the only one affected by the loss of her parents.

Everything had hit her baby brother hard and she knew that he needed a break away from everything; a place where he could come for respite and relaxation. Olivia's siblings, however, were still unaware that she had come back to town again, after leaving to settle her affairs. Elena was so focused on shouldering everything and not saying a word, while Jeremy kept stumbling into situations he was unable to handle; their emails were heartbreaking.

The wind whispered through the small crystal wind chimes, sending them singing through the breeze. The sunlight filtered through them, sending coloured light dancing on the walls through the windows. Birds chirped as they flew through the air, landing on the trees surrounding the house. Insects buzzed through the newly formed herbal gardens. There was nothing but soft natural sounds, the perfect ambience for her new home.

Lifting her face to feel the sun, Olivia paused her cooking for a moment, just enjoying the peace and serenity. Her home was finally settled, no more packing, no more sorting. It was finally ready to be lived in. Her household book, a worn leather handwritten thing, was propped on the counter, a timeless recipe for an apple and cinnamon pie facing her.

It had taken days to set up the herbs and the gardens and crystals in the right place to make her home a sanctuary. Many prayers to the Mother Earth had helped her on what she felt was the right path. Olivia was confident that this was the place for her and a safe retreat for her brother and sister. They could prepare themselves mentally for whatever they needed here. School work and social lives were bound to be tiresome for the two when added to the grief.

With quick, deft fingers, she pulled her long brownish-red hair up in a bun with the band wrapped around her wrist and continued on baking. Humming, she barely glanced at her book, almost knowing the recipe off by heart; however, she had to make sure that she focused solely on the intent in her cooking.

Olivia was smaller than her sister, both in height and stature. While Elena was a tall, lithe beauty, she was more an English rose: small, curvy, and pale, with her hair an odd shade, a mix between red and light brown. Olivia's resemblance to her mother and Aunt Jenna was uncanny, while Elena, they all supposed, was like Jeremy, taking after their father.

Brushing some flour off her peach coloured top, Olivia continued her baking, focusing on the love, protection and healing brought from using apple and cinnamon. Considering herself a home witch, Olivia only used apples from the trees near her herb garden and the herbs grown from her ground. The apples had to be the same and the ground cinnamon used had to be made from her own hand.

She felt that this would have the perfect effect when breaking to her family that she had moved back to Mystic Falls, without telling them her plans in the first place.

Olivia figured the best person to break the news to first would be her Aunt Jenna. They were close in age, and they were as close to sisters with their age group than any other type of relation. With a sigh, she placed the pie in the oven and darted up the stairs to change. She had just enough time to freshen up before the pie finished cooking.

* * *

The drive was nice, even if she was in an out-dated BMW sedan. The car was her Old Faithful and had been with her since high school. It was her first car and had been with her for a very long time. Through careful management and driving, she had been able to keep it road worthy for years.

She navigated through the town as though she had never left, knowing each street like the back of her hand. It wasn't long before she was in front of her family home. Frowning at the sight of a strange black car parked out the front of the house, she pulled up in the driveway and got out, being particularly careful with her still warm pie. With her other hand, Olivia grabbed at the fresh clotted cream she had bought from a grocer near her new home. Aunt Jenna had always been fond of the fresh cream piled on her apple pie.

Idly, Olivia wondered at the car. Was it possible that her Aunt had another guest? It wasn't important, and if there was a guest, she had made enough for everyone and extra to snack on, just as long as Elena and Jeremy had a slice.

Her boots thudded on the steps before quieting down on the porch itself. It was odd coming home as a guest, rather than being able to just waltz into the house like she used to.

Swallowing thickly, she hoped that she had timed it well and that her brother and sister were still in school. Balancing her cargo, Olivia rang the doorbell before rearranging everything back the way it was. It wasn't long before footsteps were heard and the door was thrown open.

"Hey, Aunt Jenna," Olivia said with a sheepish grin, "I brought apple pie." Still grinning, she offered up the still warm dish. Aunt Jenna looked at her with a bemused smile and ushered her in.

"This is a bit of a surprise," she said idly, "I've got another guest, so I hope you've made enough pie." Olivia laughed and nodded, walking down the hallway into the kitchen. Placing the dish on the bench, she looked over to the kitchen table and held in a gasp.

Intense brown eyes stared out of a much chiselled, Romanesque face. Dark hair, stylishly cut, fell down around his ears. Although he was sitting down, Olivia could swear, that underneath his well-tailored suit, a lean muscular body was hidden. Tall, dark, and handsome had just been personified by the man before her. "Um, hello," she greeted with a blush, "I'm sorry to interrupt your time with my Aunt."

Aunt Jenna walked in with a smile before pulling out some dishes from a cupboard.

"Olivia, meet Elijah Smith. He's a writer from out of town, interested in the History of Mystic Falls." She pulled out a knife and started cutting the pie. "Elijah, would you like a coffee or tea break? Olivia here makes the best baked goods in the county."

He was still staring at her, just as she was with him. Blushing, Olivia dropped her gaze and decided to help with serving the food onto the plates.

"I would love one, thank you," came his reply. Swallowing, Olivia took in his deep voice and strange accent, deciding that he was just one large bundle of attractive male. Abruptly, she excused herself, racing up to the bathroom near Elena's room.

Turning on the cold water, Olivia rinsed her hands before placing them, still wet, on her burning cheeks. What was wrong with her? She had never reacted that way over a man since her high school days. She wasn't a teenager anymore, and she had to get her act together. It wasn't as though he was Dirk Smith, the cheating ass who used his smile and charm to get what he wanted out of her. Olivia had always been a sucker for intense eyes and a beguiling smile.

When she came back down to the kitchen, her plate and a cup of tea were waiting for her. Taking her place next to her Aunt, Olivia offered Elijah a shy smile. "So what part of out-of-town are you from?" she asked, slightly cheeky.

With a small quirk of his lips, he replied simply, "Chicago."

Glancing at Aunt Jenna, Olivia blinked widely. "Wow, that's some distance to travel for a book you're writing. How did you come by Mystic Falls?"

"The internet offers interesting histories of America when one takes the time to search for it. I was simply looking for a place that was rich in legend and truth. Mystic Falls seems to fit that bill, do you not agree?"

Olivia, despite trying to curb her teenager-like crush, blushed at the extended use of his accent. However, she was deeply interested in how he came to her town."I think that the truth of the town can be stranger than fiction, especially in this place. However, there are only select years that things have been energetic to say the least, the rest of the time it's intensely quiet and lazy," she replied. Taking a bite of her apple pie, she was pleased to see that it tasted just the way she had hoped. Scratching the denim of her jeans nervously, Olivia swallowed, unsure of what else to say, really.

"I do admit, however, I am much more interested in the Founding of the town, and its possible mistruth," Elijah continued.

Both blinking, Aunt Jenna took the time to put in her question. "What exactly are you talking about?"

Turning his head slightly, he shifted his gaze from Olivia to the other woman. "There have been some theories that the original founders were not, in fact, the ones celebrated in the town, but survivors of those who escaped from Salem during the massacre."

"The supposed witches?" Aunt Jenna continued questioning.

"Yes, I'm interested to see if there is any factual evidence to support this theory and thus focus a good amount of content of my book with it."

"My mother had a lot of diaries dating back to the Founding Era. In fact it was a large focus of her attentions," Olivia said, taking another bite.

Aunt Jenna continued on, "Yeah, it was something she did with Carol Lockwood. Do you know where they were put, Olivia?"

Nodding her head, she pointed to the closet under the stairs. "In one of the boxes down there. Not sure which one though. If you like, since I've only just come back into town, I can help you both sort through them," she offered, hoping not to sound as nervous as how she felt.

"How long are you in town for?" Aunt Jenna asked.

Olivia had the grace to feel a little ashamed. "Well, that's the thing, I've just moved back. I bought a place on Old Entry Lane and spent the last couple of days setting it up. That's why I came over, to let you know that I moved back into town."

"And that's why you brought peace offering pie," she said, knowingly, taking another big bite. "And because of the pie, you're forgiven for not letting me know sooner. I'm taking that you want it to be a surprise to the others too?"

Olivia nodded and turned to Elijah. "As you can tell, I've only really had settling in to occupy me, so I'm more than happy to offer a hand if you need it."

His piercing stare was back once more. Blushing, Olivia bit her lip and gazed back. Blinking a little, she noticed that his stare dropped down for a moment before meeting her eyes once more. It was quick as a flash, and not something she normally would have caught.

"I would sincerely enjoy it," he said softly to her. Each time he spoke it felt like a spell to her. "And of course, yours, Jenna, whenever you have the time."

Smiling at him softly, she got up to where she had placed her purse and pulled out a card and a pen. Crossing off a number, she put the pen back into her bag and walked over to Elijah. "The number crossed out is my old home number, so it's no longer in service, but I've always got my cell on me, so you can catch me on that."

He offered her a small smile, his fingers lingering on her as he took the card. Slipping his hand into his jacket pocket, he pulled out his own business card and handed it to her. "All numbers are valid, and, to repeat your own words, you can always catch me on my cell." He then placed her own card back into his jacket pocket. "Thank you, Olivia, for making the effort to make me feel welcome here."

Blushing, Olivia shook her head, "It's no worry, really. But I'm glad that you feel welcome." Clearing her throat softly, she glanced at the clock. "Aunt Jenna, I've got to get to the store before it closes, I've got to fill up my shelves, so I have to dash." Turning back to Elijah, she gave him another smile. "I'll see you again, soon."

"Most certainly. However, before you go, I compliment your baking skills. This is the best apple pie I've had in a very long time." His gaze finally turned warm instead of remaining intense, setting Olivia in an easier mood.

"Before you leave Mystic Falls, you'll have to tell me your favourite baked good, that way I can treat you with something before you leave." She offered, feeling more than a little shy. It was so odd, and unlike her, to act that way. However, in her defence, it had been a _very_ long time since any male paid her a decent amount of attention.

"Pecan Pie."

Offering him a grin, she picked up her handbag and walked towards the front door. Aunt Jenna followed quickly. Taking in a deep breath, she turned towards her Aunt with a tentative smile. "Let the others know I stopped by?"

Aunt Jenna frowned. "I think that's something you should probably do, don't you think? You owe them that much for leaving as quickly as you did. Not to mention you coming back without a word."

Swallowing, Olivia looked down at her feet. "I guess I got so caught up with trying to get my affairs sorted out, that I fell in love with the idea of it being a surprise."

"You can't waltz back into their lives without so much as a by-your-leave. They deserve much more than that. Apart from me, every other family member, including yourself, has walked out on Elena and Jeremy. They're not going to be anywhere near as forgiving as you're hoping they'll be."

Olivia felt as though she was being unusually harsh. "I just wanted a chance to get the house all ready so they can have an escape to come to whenever they need a break from things. For me to be there for them, I had to get things sorted out with work and my accounts," Olivia tried to explain. She wrapped her arms around her stomach defensively.

"Haven't you ever heard of email and a cell phone?" Aunt Jenna said, exasperated. "Look, I'm not the one you have to explain yourself to, Jeremy and Elena deserve answers themselves, not a passed on message by me."

Olivia nodded, "I'll call them tonight, yeah? Maybe meet them over by the Grill or something, somewhere neutral?"

"Talk to them, not me. That's something _you're_ going to have to organise. Although, they're going to know you're here as soon as they see that pie in the fridge."

She sighed again and shifted on the spot. "Yeah. Anyway, I do have to go, I need to get as much shopping done as I can. I literally have nothing at home, apart from what's growing on my trees."

Aunt Jenna nodded. "Alright, I'll talk to you later. Once you get this thing sorted out with your brother and sister, we can go for a drink or something."

Smiling, Olivia nodded and said goodbye. It was going to be so much harder, dealing with everything, than she originally had planned.


	2. Longest Night

_Welcome to Chapter Two. Standard disclaimer applies, see Chapter one. _

_Thank you to those lovely reviewers on my story; it most certainly made me smile like a loon when I received them. _

_A few quick notes, and I promise to let you get to the rest of the chapter. My story was inspired by TVD as you may know, but also to a song called A Thousand Years by Christina Perri. This chapter, however, was inspired by Stephen King's IT._

_Thank you again, to my wonderful Beta Reader, who catches all my horrible typos and spit shines everything for me. Thank you, angel85qcca, very much._

_So please, read, review and most of all, Enjoy!_

* * *

_Chapter two:_

They were incredibly cute, something different from what she was used to. Normally a cat person, Olivia found herself enchanted with the golden dachshund puppies. Smiling at the teenaged girl next to the box, she placed her hand in one corner, just to see which ones would jump at the chance to know her smell. One of the medium sized ones trotted over quickly, followed by the other, while the large and small one showed no interest.

It had been a long time since she had a companion of any sort, and suddenly the idea of going home with no one to greet her became an incredibly lonely idea. Two puppies, jumping at the chance for the first pat as she came through her front door were very attractive. They had long faces and big floppy ears, not to mention the puppy dog eyes that could melt anyone's tough exterior. It became immediately apparent that Olivia was suckered in.

She was going to buy the two puppies, for just having one would be too lonely. The two puppies had darker gold ears and soft butter-like bodies. The short stubby legs combined with their incredibly long bodies, were simply too cute for words. Mentally groaning, Olivia handed the teenaged girl the money for the puppies and gently placed them into a box that was provided.

Walking them to the car, she cooed and baby talked, telling them that she would be back shortly, that she needed to buy them supplies. It was an effort to make her other shopping trip last longer than ten minutes; there were simply too many toys to choose from.

It was then decided that she would justify buying the bare necessities for a planned longer trip for toys and things in her next shopping day. Jeremy and Elena would adore them, Olivia knew, or at least, when they had her disappearance sorted out.

She found her thoughts turning towards Elijah Smith. A shuddering breath shook her chest. Butterflies she had thought she had gained control of suddenly came back in force. Placing the groceries in the back of her car, she placed a settling hand on her stomach. Was there ever a man she had met that was as well-spoken and polite as he?

It seemed strange that he had a New York accent when he had said that he was from Chicago. However, with so many people moving through the states for work, perhaps it wasn't so strange? His intensity was also something she hadn't experienced in a long time. It was a moment that she would give so much to feel again. Would he call her? Elijah had seemed to give an indication that he did, in fact, want to spend time with her. Was it possible that he was saying that only for her benefit, or was it possible that it was true? Were there no falsities in his words?

Somehow, she felt that every word he spoke was carefully chosen and that his word was something that he valued heavily. It was something that Olivia respected more than anything in the world. Finding someone that would keep his or her promises in the world was a rarity.

Shaking her head, she got into the car and checked her new puppies. The brother and sister were curled together in the box, fast asleep. There didn't seem to be any accidents in there that would have leaked on her seat covers, for which she was thankful.

As she pulled out into the streets, the dogs reminded Olivia of her siblings. Was it possible that they were just as alone as the two dogs, taken away from all that was familiar? Really, for the first time since she found out about her parents' death, she began to doubt her decisions. Was it really the right thing to do, to leave so soon after finding out everything and not tell anyone of her plans?

It seemed like something her Uncle Jonathan would have done, without any regard to what anyone would think. Biting her lip, she navigated a tight turn and continued down the road. She would have thought that her brother and sister would have loved the surprise of finding out that she was back for good. However, it had been a long time since they last saw one another… quite a few months actually.

Doubts hit her hard. It was highly possible that her siblings wouldn't forgive her. Olivia had to be honest with herself, the whole family knew how to carry a grudge if they wanted to. Uncle Jonathan was a good example of that. Even though she was close to him, she couldn't agree with the actions he had taken during the time after her parents died. It was as though they weren't important enough for him to stick around for.

Was that the impression she was giving her brother and sister? That she didn't care enough to tell them anything happening in her own life? Since her Aunt had brought up their displeasure, Olivia couldn't stop thinking about everything. Letting out a frustrated sound, she had to take a deep calming breath.

Everything would begin to sort itself out as soon as she called Elena and Jeremy. It would probably be best if she spoke to them at the same time. Speaker would be her friend in this, she hoped. On the other hand, instead, it would allow the both of them to double team her and rip her new one. Either way, they would know that she was back and that she was there for them. That was something she planned to make crystal clear. They meant the world to her and even though she had made a mistake, she was going to continue being there for them.

Pulling up to the garage, she pulled out her groceries first, rather than the puppies. She figured the introduction to their new home would take some time and she wanted to focus on them without worrying about melted ice-cream.

Placing down a water dish and food dish on some old newspaper in the laundry room, Olivia walked out to the car. By then, the puppies were awake and trying to get out of their box. Smiling at their antics, she picked up the box, snickering a little at the puppies' lack of balance as their support was jostled.

Walking into the laundry, Olivia put the box on the floor and sat next to it, cross-legged. With quick movements, she tore open one side and let her two new pets take their first steps into their new home. She couldn't help but giggle as they tried to climb all over her.

After playing with them for a while, Olivia decided to listen to her stomach and make dinner. She decided that since it was the first real meal in the house after all, she was going to make something special for herself.

Normally, pizza, or her take on pizza, was made only when she had company. However, it was quick, easy, and most of all a fantastic treat. The sauce was always homemade, as was the pastry, and all the vegetables was always fresh. Beef strips had been browned on the frypan, with onion and garlic. Her specialty, however, was the mix of cheeses and the garlic aioli sauce. Ever since she was a child, garlic was a favourite in her cooking, and not just for the taste.

Through a school project, she had learned all the medicinal effects the herb had, not to mention the mythological stories behind it that tickled her imagination. It was a strange thing to be fond of, but Olivia never truly cared.

While her meal cooked, Olivia fed her new pets. They needed names. Watching them as they ate, her mind kept landing on two names, Marbles and Mo. Grinning; she dubbed the female Marbles and the male Mo before leaving them to their food to check on hers.

* * *

With a half-eaten slice of pizza left on the plate and a cooling cup of tea left on the coffee table, Olivia pulled up the blue throw rug to cover her legs. Marbles and Mo were snuffling around the lounge room, completely ignoring the soft crooning song that was playing on the stereo about long lost love.

Several times during her dinner, Olivia had called her sister, only to have the call completely ignored. So, after giving up, she had retired back to the couch with a good book and music. The book was an old Stephen King novel, something about a clown in a gutter, and it was keeping Olivia well and truly spooked.

Biting her finger, she focused all of her attention to the book, not caring about anything else that was going on.

"… _George paused just beyond the sawhorses at the edge of a deep ravine that had been cut through the tar surface of Witcham Street. This ravine ran on an almost exact diagonal. It ended on the far side of the street, roughly forty feet farther down the hill from where he now stood, on the right. He laughed aloud – the sound of solitary, childish glee a bright runner in that gray afternoon – as a vagary of the flowing water took his paper boat into a scale-model rapids which had been formed by the break in the tar. The urgent water had cut a channel which ran along the diagonal, and so his boat travelled from one side of Witcham Street to the other, the current carrying it so fast that George had to sprint to keep up with it. Water sprayed out from beneath his galoshes in muddy sheets. Their buckles made a jolly jingling as George Denbrough ran toward his strange death. And the feeling which filled him at that moment was clear and simple love for his brother Bill … love and a touch of regret that Bill couldn't be here to see this and be a part of it. Of course he would try to describe it to Bill when he got home, but he knew he wouldn't be able to make him see it, the way Bill would have been able to make him see it if their positions had been reversed. Bill was good at reading and writing, but even at his age George was wise enough to know that wasn't the only reason why Bill got all A's on his report cards, or why his teachers liked his compositions so well. Telling was only part of it. Bill was good at seeing…"_

So focused was Olivia on her book, that she didn't even notice Mo leaving the room, or even finding a way outside. Instead, she was hunched over the novel, huddled in her blanket and reliant on her lamp light.

A high-pitched yelp and a screeching of metal broke the intense silence. Jumping, Olivia held a hand to her heart, the organ beating like a thunderous tattoo. Swallowing thickly, she pulled the blanket off her legs and glanced towards where her puppies were.

Mo was missing!

Now starting to panic, Olivia turned off the music and crept towards the back door, grabbing the fire poker from its stand near the fireplace. There was no way she was going outside without a weapon! Grabbing a torch from the laundry, she turned it on before leaving the safety of her house.

What was out there? What made that god awful screeching?

Her hands were clammy and she tried to wipe them on her jeans without dropping anything.

It was pitch black outside, nothing like the dark in New York City. Then again, in the city, she knew what dangers lurked in the alleyways. Here, in the country, it was a completely different matter. Insects chirped and grew silent, the wind whispered through the vegetation, making it hard to hear anything else.

A crunch sounded behind her. Whirling around, she swung the fire poker, hoping to hit her target. A thud sounded. Opening her eyes, she realised that she had hit the corner of the house. The crunch had in fact been her own footstep. Mentally scolding herself, she moved on.

"Mo?" she whisper-yelled out into the pitch black of the property, "Where are you boy?"

A whimper sounded at the front of the house. Swinging her torch in front of her, she slinked in that direction. She really, really hoped that there wasn't some kind of axe-murdering, serial killing clown waiting for her on the front porch.

Tightening her grip on the poker, Olivia came around the corner and quickly swung her torch on her porch. No crazy clown murder leapt at her. She called out to her dog again, hearing the whimper towards the stairs. From what she remembered, there had been a small gap between the steps and she hoped Mo hadn't managed to get through them.

Suddenly, there was barking at her ankles. Mo had raced from out underneath the steps to her. Picking up her dog, Olivia ran into the house, slammed the door, and flipped the lock. Leaning against the door, she panted quietly. Mo, bundled in her arms with the torch and fire poker, licked at her cheek.

Letting out a small giggle, Olivia walked back to the lounge room and set down her cargo. With one look at the book perched innocently on the armrest, she grabbed her puppies and locked every window and door she could find in the house.

* * *

She wouldn't lie.

Instead of going to sleep normally, in a bed, without a worry, she had been awake for most of the night. The light was on, incense candles for protection were lit, and underneath her big blanket she rested with her two puppies. She couldn't help but glance at her bathroom constantly, imagining a huge blood thirsty clown waiting for her in the pipes.

Cursing the thought of ever reading a Stephen King novel, let alone at nighttime, Olivia waited until it was well and truly daytime before exiting the safety of her bed and blanket.

As she walked down stairs to the kitchen, though, she thought about all the times she sought safety in her bed. It was quite childish, wanting to hide under the covers, but it held a kind of innocence. The memory where a mother's hug chased away all monsters had her missing her mother more than any other moment. She would never get a chance to experience a 'mother hug' again. Nor would she get a chance to tell her about her silly fears or gossip to her about silly things.

Never again would she get a chance to get chicken soup delivered to her house when she was sick, or have her mother sit with her in bed, and having her hair stroked as her mother told her that everything was going to be fine.

It was just so unfair!

No child, be adult or still young, should lose their mother. Moreover, she managed to lose both parents and almost a sister in the one accident.

Sniffling, Olivia put the kettle on and grabbed a tissue to blow her nose. Did Elena and Jeremy have moments like this? Where all they could do was break down and cry at the smallest and most insignificant moments? Shaking her thoughts away, Olivia tried to distract herself from the morose thoughts.

Instead, her mind turned to the strange screeching noise she heard the previous night. It was like nothing she had ever heard before. In the cities, however, they had different sounds: cars screeching, sirens screaming and people swearing. It was just part in parcel of living in such a populated area.

Whatever it was, she hoped that was the last time she'd hear it. Living in the house alone, she didn't want to be jumping at every single noise, every single night. It would be just too stressful. The kettle clicked, finishing its boil. Preparing a nice, hearty tea, Olivia sat down at the breakfast bench, still captivated by her thoughts and stared out the window.

Therefore, when her cell phone screamed its ringtone, shattering the peace, she jumped ten feet into the air.

"H-hello?" she asked, clearing her throat.

"Am I speaking to Olivia Gilbert?" a smooth male voice sounded over the line.

"Olivia speaking!" she said brightly, "May I ask who's calling?" The politeness from the man on the line inspired her own.

"Hello, this is Elijah Smith; we met just yesterday at Jenna Sommers' home?" Her heart stuttered for a moment before settling into a thunderous rhythm. She never expected him to call so soon. Biting a lip, she tried to supress her smile as she tucked a tangled lock of hair behind her ear.

"Hello Elijah, it's nice to hear from you so soon. How can I help?" Olivia brought her mug to her lips and took a healthy sip.

"As to you too. If you recall, we spoke about your aiding me in my research for my book. I was hoping we could organise an appropriate time in which we can further discuss the terms of such an arrangement?"

His words were so strangely formal. Although she recognised the accent from all the people she associated with when in the Big Apple, never had she met anyone who spoke so smoothly and politely. Elijah sounded so _noble_.

"Uh, absolutely!" Olivia said, a might too cheerful. "When is a good time and place for you?"

He seemed to pause for a moment, and Olivia could have sworn she heard paper rustling from his end of the line. "I was told there was a very good café just near the Mystic Grill. I had hoped for your company at ten thirty this morning, if it is not inconvenient?"

Doing a silly, silent, victory fist punch, she couldn't stop the beaming grin from her lips. It was the perfect remedy after the night she had. After all, who wouldn't want a handsome man for company after spending all night terrified of the Serial killer clown in her plumbing?

"That would be perfect, Elijah, thank you. I look forward to seeing you in a few hours."

"Yes, well, I shall see you at ten thirty. Goodbye Olivia." And with that, he hung up the phone. Letting out a girlish squeal, she raced up to her bedroom, hoping to find something appropriate to wear. After all, no self-respecting girl would meet a man in a pair of bunny pyjamas.


	3. This Ain't No Place

**Here is Chapter Three, better late than never. I know I'm a slow updater, but please, enjoy the chapter.**

**Standard Disclaimer applies.**

**Please leave a review and I'll really appreciate it.**

* * *

**Chapter Three:**

The uneven ends of her V-neck black dress tickled the backs of her knees as Olivia walked towards her car. It was a strangely warm day, and she wanted to take as much advantage of it as possible. Therefore, she pulled out her favourite dress and cinched the large, billowy waist with a thin tan belt. With her hair piled on top of her head and secured with a few clips, she slid into her car and pulled out carefully.

The driveway was in desperate need of reshaping or paving—something she knew had to be done as soon as possible or the costs on her car repairs would sky rocket. The repairs on her home were starting to stockpile into an incredibly expensive list. However, at the end of it-she hoped-would be worth it.

It was a home that she wanted to last for years and years, almost like a legacy home that she could leave as an inheritance to her children, if she ever had any. However, it wasn't a priority, having children, rather, she was quite happy to remain best sister and auntie if her siblings had kids. But, she mused, biting on her lip, in order of any of that happening, she had to be on speaking terms with her brother and sister—and so far, that wasn't working.

Why didn't Elena answer her phone the previous night? It was so strange. Normally, or from what she could remember, Elena was the type of person to confront someone and blow up at them rather than holding a grudge. Was this a new type of punishment Olivia had to go through?

Elena had been changing, from what she could gather from emails she had received from both siblings. They both had. And, as she had thought before, something big was happening. Was she too late in coming home? To try to offer some sort of retreat from things? The whole thing was leaving her with a massive headache.

So, instead of thinking about more maudlin subjects, she turned to something a little more light-hearted—Elijah. Okay, so she was feeling a little shameless, but by gosh, he had her aflutter. She hoped to see him in a suit again. He did manage to make a dashing figure in the tailored outfit. Olivia mused about the saying; a man in a suit to a woman is the same to a man with a woman in lingerie.

While musing on Elijah, she started to make her way into more populated areas. In her mind, she made up silly scenarios, on what he would be like to live with, to be her protector with her plumbing monster and what it would be like to cuddle up to him.

It may have been sad, and quite possibly pathetic, but she was a girl, and what girl didn't think of their crush that way? Olivia was just glad she was no longer in high school and had no notepads to doodle their names together—that would have been just a touch too mortifying to handle.

Trying to push her mind into something a little more mature than 'Olivia-heart-Elijah', she mused about how she could help him out with his work. If he wanted to be shown around different places in town, well, she didn't have a huge understanding on what went on where, but hopefully she had enough knowledge from her mother to at least make it count.

Where was he staying? Came the unbidden thought. There were only a few places around town that actually had temporary accommodation. Mystic Falls wasn't close enough to a free way to warrant any constant stream of visitors. In fact, the town was almost well off the beaten track compared to places Olivia had seen with her work. Maybe that was something she could offer without sounding like a complete idiot. As a landscape photographer, she could offer photographic evidence on where things had taken place and what it used to look like. Somewhere in her home, she had tons of old photographs she had collected from the town…perhaps one of them had evidence of those witches he had talked about. Either way, she finally had something planned to talk about.

The streets in Mystic Falls were quite busy. Even the sidewalks were crowded with people. Olivia had no hope of finding a park near where she was to meet Elijah, however, there was a good park at least one black over. Pulling in, she got out of the car and locked it, a habit left over from living in the city.

It was interesting how in a small town, people could leave their houses and cars unlocked, usually in a fit of forgetfulness, and return to it without fear of a break in or theft, while in a city, every person was regarded with distaste and suspicion. Nevertheless, Olivia always locked her car and home-her cautiousness demanded it.

Her flat, slightly oversized, sandals slapped against the sidewalk as she hurried towards the Café. She didn't want to be late and a bad impression was, at this time, her most pressing fear. If she wanted to work with Elijah, she had to put forth a decent profession effort, even if she wasn't paid for it.

It was a strange idle thought, being paid for what she was doing, and to be fair, she wasn't very interested in being paid. What she had told him was true; she was currently unemployed and bored at the idea of just staying out at the homestead on her own. Sure, there were many pressing jobs she could be doing to spruce the place up, but she had also spent a lot of time in New York, where any type of distraction was only a walk away.

Olivia spied her companion with his back towards her. His jacket was hanging on the back of the chair and he had seemed to have already made his order for a drink. Biting her lip to hide her smile, she walked over and tapped his shoulder.

"Elijah?" she greeted with a smile, tucking an errant tendril of hair behind her ear, "Hello."

"Oh, hello there," he said with light surprise. In a courteous way, he stood and pulled out a seat for her. "I trust your drive into town was uneventful?"

Smiling, she nodded. "Most of the roads around this area are made to last." Inwardly, she frowned, why on earth would she say something so drab and unappealing?

"At the very least, they are, thankfully, nothing like cobblestones," he replied with a wry tone. "Thank you for meeting me here. I trust that I did not interrupt any plans?"

Olivia shook her head. While not wanting to appear desperate, she really wanted to spend as much time as possible with him—hopefully, she wouldn't look like a raving loon. "Honestly, I've only been focusing on repairing my house, so any excuse to leave it is highly appreciated," she smiled, her fingers reaching out to the drink menu.

Elijah's eyes darted down at the laminated paper, a brief flash of something flickered in his eye. "I must apologise for not ordering you a drink, however, I am unsure of your drink of choice."

Smiling at his choice in words, she looked at the menu, bypassing the coffee section. "Well, I'm pretty easy—nothing with coffee in it. I'm a tea drinker, to the distaste of my family. I don't have a particular favourite, but I'm partial to herbal teas." She wanted to swallow her tongue. Babbling was something she always hated.

"May I suggest, then, the jasmine tea?" he replied with a slightly raised brow. With a nod, Olivia placed the menu back down. Elijah was efficient in his ordering, quick and to the point. As the waiter left the table, he turned his full attention back to her. "Now, please forgive my slight impatience as I have time constraints for my book, but what do you know of the lore surrounding the witches?"

Biting her lip, she looked off into the distance with unfocused eyes as she tried to pull some memories to the forefront of her mind. Her mother used to constantly talk about the Founding Families and their origins.

There was naturally the fire at the Fell Church that, while blamed on the war, was sometimes mentioned to have been caused by witches. However, she remembered something more than that to do with witches, but it wasn't coming to mind.

"My mother talked about the Witches only occasionally, she said that there was a huge anti-witch hysteria in a neighbouring village before Mystic Falls was truly established. I just can't really think about what she said about it, sorry, it was a long time about," she said softly, her eyes still focused distantly as she tried to focus on her mother's words. "I'll have to go through her notes again, see if something is in there or something that would kick start my memories on what she said about it."

Elijah was staring at her in rapt attention when she brought her eyes back to her companion. Flushing, she ducked her head. "I know that the neighbouring village wasn't too far from here, I'm sure that I can find some photographs of its location somewhere. Mom gave me all the historical photographs when I started showing interest in photography."

"Fascinating," he replied. "You made this a career, I believe you mentioned the other day."

"Yeah, I'm a Landscape Photographer. I started out doing geographical photographs for the land charts with the councils, and then turned to independent photography, creating photos for magazine articles and printing companies."

"It has obviously gone well for you."

Olivia shrugged, "It was mainly at the right place/right time kind of thing." The waiter arrived with their drinks. With a smile, she shifted her hands off the table while her tea was placed. Plucking the raw sugar packet from the center of the table, Olivia poured it into her teacup and added the steaming jasmine tea. The aroma was heavenly.

Raising the teacup, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, her shoulders relaxing. As she opened her eyes, she met the amused gaze of Elijah.

"I agree, tea is an experience to enjoy." Amusement was laced through his tone. She flushed and smiled.

"Hush you," she teased back. "It's not my fault that you have great taste."

"Indeed," he replied, his eyes turning intense. Olivia's cheeks deepened in colour, hoping that the inflection was what she was thinking. She wanted the attraction to be mutual, desperately. With a deep breath, she turned her attention back to her beverage.

* * *

Impatient with the ignored calls, Olivia rushed up the few stairs to her sibling's home and knocked firmly on the door. Sure, the move was impulsive, and likely to be not taken kindly, but she was their sister, damn it, and she was going to see them, whether they wanted to see her or not. She deserved a chance to explain herself.

Tugging down her dress slightly, she waited impatiently, hearing the slight sounds of footsteps. The door was opened, revealing her younger brother, his face falling into a scowl at the sight of her. "Oh, you're here," he said rudely. "Finally got time for us?"

Her shoulders slumped at his words. "I tried to call last night, neither of you were answering your phone."

He scoffed in disbelief, "And how long have you been in town for? I know that your car obviously works, it's in the drive…how about your computer or texts?"

Their meeting wasn't going well at all. "Look, at the time, I thought showing up as a surprise was a good idea—it's obvious that I'm very wrong on that aspect, but I was trying to set up the house for us to be able to chill out and be able to catch up."

"Maybe you should have thought a little harder then, Olivia," Jeremy said, unsympathetically. "We don't need you to try and make things better before you leave and rip another hole in us. I'm sick of you trying to be the good sister, only for you to bail when things get tough. We don't need your help."

With his words, he stepped back into the house and slammed the door in her face. Sighing, she left the Gilbert household and started the drive back home. Her next goal was Elena, and she hoped desperately that it would be an easier conversation.

Jeremy needed another plan before she was able to set the record straight. She wasn't going to leave them again, Olivia thought firmly. It was just trying to _prove_ to them that she wasn't leaving that was the challenge.

Would Elena hate her? On the other hand, would she give her a chance to explain and perhaps work on getting things back on track?

Her phone buzzed in her pocket.

Elena.

Speaking of the devil, Olivia mused with a disheartened tone as she brought the phone to her ear. "Elena, hi."

"Why are you in town?" her younger sister said abruptly.

"Wow. 'Hey sis, it's great to hear your voice too. I'm going well,'" Olivia replied sarcastically, her patience dwindling. "I know it was stupid to not call and let you guys know I was back in town, but I was trying to set up my house so that you guys could have a place to come to when you want to leave everything behind."

Sure, it was probably an unnecessary use of sarcasm, but she was tired and hurt from Jeremy's reaction to her at the door. Opening the car door, she slipped into the driver's seat, throwing her purse on the passenger seat.

She loved her siblings to pieces, but there were times where they really pissed her off.

"Ok, Olivia, I get it," Elena replied, exasperated. "I really could have used some warning, you know. You can't just keep popping in and out of our lives."

"What part of 'setting my new house up' don't either of you understand?" Olivia said. "Look, I'm not leaving anymore. I'm not going to bail out on you and Jeremy. I'm here to stay. I've bought a house that I'm trying to revamp up for a long term stay." Closing her eyes, she thumped her head against the back seat. "I get that I made a mistake in not telling you guys, but how long are you guys going to hold that against me?"

"That's not fair," Elena replied sharply. "You can't just turn this around on us."

Letting out a breath of air, Olivia rubbed a hand over her face. "Look, I've got the place out at Old Entry Lane, so if you and Jeremy want to check the place out and have a chat to settle whatever issues you guys have, come on by. Just—be careful with the driveway, I've got to get it fixed."

"I can't believe you're brushing me off like this," her sister said, disbelievingly. "Look, yeah, it wasn't cool you leaving and then not telling anyone you're back—but—look, it's not as safe as what it was before you left—Stranger Danger and all that. Just don't invite people you don't know into the house."

Brows furrowing, Olivia stared at her phone for a moment. "Wow, uh, ok, that's not weird at all, Elena."

"Just promise me, Livy." Her sister's voice was pleading.

"Alright, I promise," Olivia, replied soothing, knowing that she was just a sucker for her sister. If it made Elena feel better that she wasn't letting anyone in the house willy-nilly, then that's just what she would do. "Look, I've got to get back to the house to feed the puppies, can I call you later tonight and we have a good talk about all this?"

"Yeah, that would probably be good…and with Jeremy, just give him some time—give us some time, we can get back to normal after a bit," Elena replied.

"Just let you guys be angry for a bit?"

"Yeah…but a few pies would probably help your case," Elena teased slightly. Olivia laughed and agreed before hanging up the phone. Marbles and Mo were likely tearing her house apart.


End file.
